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LGBT Celebrities Who Quit Alcohol & Drugs: Ruby Rose

Chris WitteApril 19, 2016

Across the world, entire nations are experiencing an epidemic. Despite our technologies and modern medicine, millions upon millions of people are falling prey to the disease of addiction. And much like the rest of us, celebrities can develop addictions to alcohol and drugs as well. Between the quickly amassed wealth, the stress that comes with being constantly in the spotlight, and the widespread availability of illicit drugs in places like Hollywood and New York City, it’s increasingly difficult for those with unimpeded access to resist the temptation of substance abuse. As such, it’s not uncommon for a celebrity who has been struggling with substance abuse to get himself or herself into trouble, resulting in nasty write-ups in newspapers, magazines, and tabloids. Unfortunately, it doesn’t take much for a celebrity’s reputation to get tarnished, but it’s also increasingly common for addicted A-listers to turn their lives around. When this occurs, it’s also frequently mentioned in televised and print news as it seems the only thing the media loves more than a fallen star is a comeback story, which happens to be the case with Ruby Rose.

Who Exactly is Ruby Rose?

The overtly feminine name Ruby Rose ironically belongs to a lesbian actress who may be familiar to some as a recent addition to the cast of the hit series Orange is the New Black on Netflix. Ruby Rose played the swarthy Stella Carlin who was introduced in the third season of Orange as another potential love interest for the show’s heroine, the unjustly incarcerated Piper Chapman who is quirkily played by Taylor Schilling. It turns out that Ruby’s accent isn’t merely her character’s affectation as the actress was born in Melbourne, Australia. According to an interview, Ruby Rose came out as lesbian at age twelve, which resulted in her being verbally and physically abused by her peers and a subsequent suicide attempt. During her childhood, she also experienced sexual abuse at the hand of a relative, which may or may not have contributed to her development of bipolar disorder with leanings toward clinical depression.

Throughout childhood, Ruby Rose admits to having felt more like a boy than a girl and had even been saving for female-to-female gender reassignment surgery. Today, Rose feels somewhere in between male and female and has a propensity for gender-bending, rejecting traditional gender roles and expectations. As such, she has become a prominent figure and role model for the LGBT community, helping to bring more widespread attention and start a national dialogue about such topics as gender or sexual fluidity and the idea that a person’s sexuality or gender identity can change or evolve over time.

In terms of career, Rose was most well-known as a model with her modeling career tracing back to 2002 when she came in second place in a modeling contest. She also collaborated with Australian fashion label Milk and Honey to design her own collection and is the face of Maybelline New York in Australia. Ruby Rose’s acting career began with an appearance on the television show Talkin’ ‘Bout Your Generation in 2009, followed by an appearance in Around the Block in 2013, which also starred Christina Ricci. After being catapulted up the ranks of stardom with her role in Orange is the New Black, Rose is reported to have landed roles in the upcoming final installment of the Resident Evil franchise as well as in John Wick 2 alongside Keanu Reeves.

Ruby’s Dark Past of Substance Abuse

Perhaps due to her dark past — the abuse by her peers for being a lesbian, incestuous sexual abuse, suffering from bipolar disorder and depression — Ruby Rose is no stranger to substance abuse, especially when it comes to alcohol. The star has reported to having tried to give up drinking on more than one occasion, but with the “I can have just one drink” mentality it would fail each time. In a particularly candid article written by Rose herself, she recalls “crashing” a high school dance in Australia with Katy Perry. Having been sober for 30 days, Rose figured she could have “just one drink,” and doesn’t remember the rest of the night. However, she learned that she vomited on her pop star companion, resulting in Rose choosing to give up booze for good.

Like countless others before and since, Rose learned a hard lesson: Substance abuse cannot solve one’s problems, whether they’re physical, mental, emotional, or otherwise. When an individual abuses alcohol or drugs, he or she loses the ability to make rational decisions, which includes deciding whether or not having another drink or another dose of a drug is a good idea. As such, substance abuse behavior tends to escalate, causing unpredictable and sometimes deadly consequences. Fortunately, there are a variety of treatment options available for those in need.

If you or someone you love would like to learn more about treatments and addiction recovery, call Recovery Hub today at 1-888-220-4325. We have a team of recovery specialists available to answer questions, address concerns, and to offer free consultations and assessments. With one phone call, you or your loved one can begin the healing journey and return to a life of health, sobriety, and happiness.